Apple Logic Pro X released with Logic Remote iPad controller

Apple has released Logic Pro X, the company's latest version of the music workstation software, and seemingly settling concerns that the new app would be dumbed-down to GarageBand-level in the process. The new version is billed as the most advanced to-date, in fact, with more instruments and effects out of the box, together with a virtual percussion accompaniment called Drummer that can automatically play along with your track. Logic Pro X also comes with the new Logic Remote app, which turns an iPad into a remote control for mixing and mastering music.

Logic Remote can be used to adjust levels and track playback, or even as a roving instrument. the app supports keyboard, drum pad, or guitar fretboard layouts, along with a mixing board or transport control.

Apple's Logic team has refreshed the UI for Pro X, with options to now either maximize the controls that are visible or hide them when you'd rather focus on being creative. There are also Smart Controls, which adjust multiple plug-ins and other parameters from a single place, for quicker tweaking.

Flex Pitch works like the infamous autotune, adjusting out-of-tune vocals but also capable of finessing individual musical notes within a waveform. Paired with Drummer, even the most amateur of bands should be able to coax out something halfway musical, with Apple turning to professional session players and recording engineers for the core algorithms that power the backing system. A Drum Kit Designer allows a virtual kit to be pieced together, and then played by Drummer.

As for playing, playback, and recording, there's Track Stacks for combining and decluttering large groups of tracks, together with a new Arpeggiator, new Retro Synth for classic 70s and 80s sounds, and various electric piano, B3 organ, and clav modeling in the new Vintage Keyboards option. In fact, the whole sound library has been updated in Logic Pro X, with Apple claiming to have over 1,500 instrument and effect patches.

Over at The Loop, Jim Dalyrmple praises Logic Pro X's continued inclusion high-end features while also making newer users at home with more straightforward controls.

Logic Pro X is available today, priced at $199. There's also a new version of MainStage, v3, which is intended to convert Logic Pro X - and the Mac it runs on - into a performance system. It's also available today, priced at $29.99. Logic Remote is a free download, though requires Logic Pro X of course.